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Justin yanked the ID from her hand “Get the hell out, Sa this shit into talk to the reporters outside”
“Director Bass—” Blake began angrily
“Don’t!” Justin threw right back at hi up your badge, too”
No, Blake wouldn’t do that The FBI was his life
She kept her spine raht as she walked out of the office When she reached the bull pen, she heard the whispers—froents there, from the cops who’d co at her with confusion in their eyes
She rong She screwed up She let those women die
This was all going to be on her Samantha clenched her hands into fists
She made it to the elevator One step at a ti to hurt
She slipped into the elevator Pushed the button to go down to the parking garage The doors were starting to close—
“Saap between the doors, trying to get to her
She shook her head “No” Because she couldn’t deal with hiht then He pulled at her emotions, and she already felt too raw
Blake Handsoood looks, his jet-black hair, his bright green eyes and that golden skin Sexy Blake
Fierce Blake
Off-limits Blake
Because her bastard of a boss had been right about one thing Blake did have a hard-on for her She’d noticed his attraction It would have been impossible to miss An attraction that she more than felt, too But he was her partner You didn’t screw around with your partner That was against the rules
She’d always played by the rules
And she’d still gotten screwed
“This isn’t on you,” Blake gritted out
Actually, it was The dead man’s blood was still on her clothes because she’d run to him after he’d blown off half his face His blood was on her—and the deaths of those three wo to push those her way, too Before he was done, she’d be soone off the playbook—and he’d be the shining superstar who’d soed to stop the Sorority Slasher
Blake stepped into the elevator Ignoring her request The doors closed behind him, and his hands curled around her shoulders “The profile was off You’re not God You can’t predict everything”
“I don’t want you touching me” Her words came out stark and hard Not at all the way she normally spoke to Blake
He blinked, and, for an instant, she could have sworn that he looked hurt
“Let o” She didn’t have time to choose her words carefully She was about to break apart, and his touch was sending her closer and closer to the edge
His hands fell away from her He stepped back
“I’ you doith me” She licked her lips “You still have a chance here You just had the bad luck to get teamed up with me”
“I don’t think it’s bad”
“Trustfar too fast in her chest “Just walk away” What had Bass called her? A sinking ship?
The elevator dinged Finally, she was at the parking garage Maybe she’d be able to get out of there without the reporters catching her She stepped toward the elevator’s now open doors, but Blake moved into her path
Her head tipped back as she stared up at him
“I want to help,” Blake said
There he went being the good guy “Then let o”
“Sam”
“I’ll call you toht then, she would have said anything to get away from him Blake pushed her buttons She’d always suspected he would haveas shaky as it was at that particular moment, Samantha was afraid she would cross a line with hiet out of there
Once you cross so back
A leaot out of her way
She rushed past him Nearly ran—and she didn’t stop, not until she reached her car
WHEN IT CAME to drinking, Sah to
lerance for alcohol That had coh ex-cop, he’d been able to drink anyone under the table
So she sat in that low-end bar, on the wrong side of DC, and she studied the row of shot glasses in front of her
“I knew I’d find you here You always come to this place when you want to vanish”
She looked up at that deep, ru voice A voice she knew—inti tiaze met the dark stare of Cameron Latham Dr Cameron Latham They’d known each other since their first year at university Been friends, coraduate school together, earning their PhDs in psychology
But after graduation, she’d joined the FBI Sa down criue and a cushy college teaching job
And for the college girls whoood looks, so the woo with those looks He’d finally gotten everything he wanted
He has what he wants, and I just lost what I valued ht
“Guessing the story made the news?” Samantha muttered This wasn’t the kind of bar that had TVs This was a dark hole
And vanishing
“It made the news” He pulled out a chair, flipped it around and straddled the seat “You made the news” He whistled “That asshole of a boss really threw you under the bus”
She lifted another shot glass and drained it in a gulp
“Drinking yourself into oblivion isn’t going to make the situation better” Cameron cocked his head and studied her
Her brows shot up at that “Cam, I’m not even close to oblivion”
He should know better
“The case is wrong” She sla I don’t buy it The scene was too pat He was too desperate That guy isn’t the one I was after”